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I did a couple decks w/the Skil and decided a heavier duty sander was in order. I had to slow it down. I can't speak for how it compares to other heavy-duty belt sanders but I am very satisfied with it. Have 50 decks to sand and finish. The lock on trigger is helpful as well.
Seemed too much for my inexpensive light Skil belt sander. I settled on the Rigid because I have their palm sander and worm-drive saw and am satisfied w/those products. The contrast was marked. The Rigid sander cut right into the work w/very little effort from me.
I first bought a dewalt and returned it. This Ridgid is what a sander should be.
Handy magazine rated Bosch 1274DVS, Craftsman 11727, DeWalt DW433, Hitachi SB8V2,Makita 9903, Porter-Cable 352VS, Ridgid Rs720VS. Ridgid R2720VS was rated as the best value.
Dust collection is decent to above average so long as you make sure the exhaust port remains clear and unclogged and the unobtrusive bag doesn't get too full. It doesn't come in a case (a real oversight by Ridgid) and will require one at least 20 inches long. Potential buyers should understand that this review is not based on longterm ownership or heavy-duty use, but on several days of moderate, responsible use. Perhaps most importantly, it is good to very good at speed of stock removal. I'm offering the review early primarily because there are no other reviews of the product that I can find, so in my case, the purchase had to be based solely on availability, price, experience and instinct. In fact, this tool is such a beauty that I'm also using a moist rag to wipe it down before putting it away. The new in-line 3x21 belt sander by Ridgid appears to be a solid investment at a substantial savings over other heavy-duty belt sanders.
All in all, it's a pleasure to use. Further, the variable speed control comes in handy and is well-placed. It is attractive, well-designed, solidly constructed, well-balanced, has good ergonomics, is easily controlled, and is surprisingly quiet. In my opinion, it seems like a good tool that ought to last a long time. The first time you pause during the sanding job and let it hang down at your side, you'll appreciate it's shape and heft, which is somehow reminiscent of an old-fashioned shootin' iron. Belt tracking is adequate, if not stellar, the large adjusting knob requiring a few seconds of attention for a new belt to track roughly where it should. As for the Ridgid product line, in general, I also own one of their reciprocating saws and have been happy with it's performance, so far.
In this regard, keeping an air hose handy for cleaning off the sander and cleaning out the bag both during and after use helps immensely and is a good maintenance practice.
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